councilman24

I was similar for a long time. Driving to the DZ asking myself why. As soon as I got out I remembered "that's why!". Not as scared as you but scared. But that's okay. Fear of falling is natural. (But with a parachute you intend to fall.) Fear of the unknown (gear, etc) is natural. (Learn more about the gear.) Fear of failure (jump goals) is natural. (Who cares, even Wendy got it.) Fear of dieing is natural. What USED to be appealing about skydiving was that when you left the plane you WERE going to die unless YOU DID SOMETHING. (no aad's) This was part of the challenge. Accepting responsibility for yourself and overcoming the fear. Some overcome the fear in a jump or two. Some take a lot more jumps. (My case about a 100.) For some the fear is paralyzing, for some mild. Your's is pretty bad. I had an old girl friend who tried to take up skydiving for me. She would be in tears hanging on the strut (static line). I finally got her to stop. The second jump is often the scariest. The first one was blind faith and you didn't know what to expect. Before the second one you had a chance to realize what you did and what could go wrong. If you can overcome the fear great! If not skydiving may not be for your. It isn't for everyone. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

What he said. Reverse three ring but at 47 sec when you can see the back it looks slightly different for the locking loop than usual. May just be the frame. These have for the most part been abandoned in the U.S. as not a good idea. This was one solution to type 17 risers that were breaking, even though these aren't type 17, but the added reenforcing now used solved that problem. Reverse three rings weren't as reliable in releasing as normal. The red rig in the door looks like a russian version of a wonderhog type rig from the 70's. A little clunkier but with a BOC added. The grey conventional rig is some sort of military bailout rig converted like in the 50's, 60's and 70's in the U.S. But I don't know what he could have in it. I've never seen a conventional rig that thick. Two and I think all three of the first rigs had KAP AOD's. Looked like the red one wasn't turned on. Probably the other two weren't either. Looked like a vintage gear jump in the U.S. but I suspect this was their normal jump gear. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

About 30% of the pilot rigs I get to pack have the handle in backwards. They're excused, unless I've told them once before. And I've seen plenty of skydiver rigs like that over the years. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Unstable first freefalls, no matter how stable DRCP's are, not uncommon. Of course AFF students not pulling are not uncommon either. And I've had my hand on my hackey on the step... at 1500'. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

"Etymology In 1940, John W. Eckelberry of DuPont stated that the letters "nyl" were arbitrary and the "on" was copied from the suffixes of other fibers such as cotton and rayon. A later publication by DuPont explained that the name was originally intended to be "No-Run" ("run" meaning "unravel"), but was modified to avoid making such an unjustified claim and to make the word sound better.[8] An apocryphal explanation is that Nylon is a conflation of "New York" and "London". A humorous backronym is "Now You've Lost, Old Nippon" referring to the supposed loss of demand for Japanese silk." I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Send it with insurance and signature required. And don't ship without having the money. This still can be an issue if it's delivered to the wrong address, they 'sign' for it but you can't read the signature. But at this point it's the shipping companies issue for not having the right signature. You have proof it was delivered. I've acted as 'escrow' agent and have used others for a sale. Before internet a reserve was delivered to my neighbor, who I didn't know. Held it for three weeks and finally took it to the apartment complex office instead of knocking on my door. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

For once, good advice from a newbie. Your spot on. Before adding anything that might distract or get in the way you should first be a very good skydiver. In addition none of these googles are particularly good for skydiving, IMHO. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I've seen lots of folks get in trouble because of the low airspeed exit. While not hovering they're not going very fast. This causes lots of flailing, inability to get separation, etc. Be sure these are planned well for separation and opening. I would suggest a student, which is what you are without an A license, and even a novice with an A license should probably pass. This is not just another skydive. Not hard, but different. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

A few weeks after I bought my first ram air canopy, a used Strato Cloud, I picked it up out of the trunk of my car and a toggle fell off. This was after many jumps. Toggles had finger trap with no tack. One of my first rigging lessons. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

First - keep in mind that this method was developed when 99% of canopies used that thick dacron lines. I've got them on my canopy and yes, it can be done... its just not easy. Get with an old timey rigger and he'll show you how. Quote Quote Jim, I think he means the Jump Shack, et al, no sew finger trap, not the old figure eight tie on. This link has the dacron method. It does not use a finger trap. As stated above a finger trap shortens the line and a finger trap to the brake setting eye is not appropriate. http://www.parachutemanuals.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=40&func=startdown&id=411 I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

"Ace silicon lubricant" should be food grade. Current food grade version they sell is CRC. The 'ACE' brand is not the same as it used to be but don't know if it is food grade. Food grade contains silicon and small molecule hydrocarbon propellants (butane, propane etc). Non food grade often includes higher molecular weight hydrocarbons/oils. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I agree. I prefer no lights for the landing area other than enough to delineate the target Trying to light it with head lights or similar such stuff just causes more problems. I'd much rather preserve my night vision and use ambient light, moon or otherwise, to land. I've seen the moon shadow stuff too but I guess I learned to recognize it. The exception to that is a fully lighted football stadium. Swooping into the light from the darkness always impresses the crowd. Two night jump stories. One of the prettiest jumps I ever made was into our rural DZ surrounded by fields and woods under a full moon with the ground fog rising in the low areas. It looked like something out of Tolkien with half the ground obscured by glowing fog under the full moon. The other one was a Cessna load where I went along to spot for the low timers doing their first night jump. I was watching the drift on the way up and realized the wind was still howling at altitude. I spotted for the first two on the first pass. I was waiting and waiting. The pilot realized the situation but the jumpers didn't. It was close to a no go but I was familiar enough with the roads and farms to spot like day time. I finally told them to go. Happened to be two women. After they left the pilot/DZO asked "are they going to make it?" I answered, "They could." The last jumper and I got out on the second pass. And all of us landed at the DZ with low ground winds. Night jumps are fun if for no other reason than to watch the newbies strap on flashlights and chemlights on every possible location. Ripcords, cutaway handles. forearms, altimeters. This is in the old days before lighted altimeters. I made some red led light that mounted on altimater II's and III's. That and the legally required strobe that I dangled below me was all I ever needed. Sometimes a chem light on the protec to do RW. The other good idea was to bust a chem light and tape it to your main riser. So you had a chance of finding your main if you cut it away. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Your fear is not uncommon. If you take a minute to actually look at your three rings, connector links and lines when you hanging under them at 1000' you suddenly realize that there isn't a whole lot holding you up there. But, if you saw some of the crap a lot of us jumped you'd be more than happy to have your new rig on your back. I still can't believe I was naive enough to jump some of that shit. Of course we didn't care much back then either. I know one guy who famously used his rig as a ramp to jump the camp fire with a bicycle, routinely. Next time your reserve needs packing schedule a time with your rigger that you can watch him pack and ask questions. If your rigger doesn't want you to watch find a new rigger. You might offer a tip if he doesn't charge more. It IS a pain to have folks watch and ask questions. Your interrupting the rigger concentration and it will take more time than usual. I had a new girl friend once asked about watching me pack her reserve. I said that she was more than welcome but would get a better pack job if she didn't. She immediately responded "I'll just watch you pack someone else's."

The best time is between about three quarters from a timing standpoint. If you wait until the full moon, and particularly after the actual full moon you have to wait until much later at night for it to be high enough to be effective. Many DZ's seem to wait until the full moon. This just means people are waiting around until later. For instance, on Jun 1 in my town the moon rises at 6:11pm and is 89% of full. By the end of civil twilight at 9:46 the moon is well up. On Jun 4th the day of the full moon, moon rise and the end of civil twilight is essentially the same time. This means you need to wait a couple of hours of more after dark for the moon to be up. So look to the week or two before a full moon for setting up the jump. After the full moon it will be midnight or later before you have any moon to work with. But the presence of the moon should not necessarily be a determining factor. You should be able to do the jump even if over cast. I haven't looked lately but last I knew it only had to be a two way. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

smiled the whole way through. gotta love the cross arm dock I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Anything old! Many jumpers prefer these streamers that eventually open but I don't. That's why I still have two original sabres and a Triathlon. You can still by a new Triathlon and that may be the only zp current product that opens quickly. Others with more experience with new canopies will chime in. And probably tell you you want one of these new ones. It's tough to get out at 2000' with a canopy that takes 800' to open. Of course I'm an inch shorter than I used to be. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Has anybody here dealt with these folks? Your experience? www.robesonsew.com I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Digital appear to be more accurate because they give a 'number' rather than a 'close to' value. They may or may not be more accurate. I've been jumping the same altimaster II for 30 years. On a chest strap mount. From the days when we look at the other guys altimeter. But, I mounted mine with 3000' straight out from my body rather than zero. This way I knew what straight out meant, it was easier to see the needle when at the 'action' altitude and never have needed to read the numbers on the face. Now, wearing trifocals, I can take them off for the jump and still 'read' my altimeter. I know at least one other person above said with trifocals they liked the digital better. YMMV. I also have a Altimaster III for my hand but when I wear it I almost never look at it. Bottom line, pick what you want, learn it's issues and advantages, and don't drop it on the concrete several times. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

RHard to believe there isn't something around elsenore to use. Have you asked the old farts? An old cotton chest is on ebay @ $10. Enough parts to put one together for less than the $350 some people want aren also available. Contact me if you want to discuss options. And why not Lap?;) In fact just found C-9;with lines for $100 and chest container for $17. On ebay. Two snaps and a crossconnector and your good to go. No PC needed. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Paratelemetry did not use GPS. It used a radio transmitter turned on as the cutaway canopy left the harness and a radio direction receiver. Look up the tracking devices used for falconry and you'll have it. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

There is no maximum jump number on any canopy. Condition determines when it is done. For canopies like this we didn't usually reline them. At least if they had dacron. By the time the lines wore out usually the canopy fabric was becoming porous and the flare was degrading. Usually life was between 500 and 1000 jumps depending on loading and care. I wouldn't normally expect a Fury to be done at 500 jumps. But not worth a lot. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

PISA also used to give away hooded pull overs made out of white 'f-111' with Tempo canopies. Or maybe select customers. Anyway I have one, all white, and I guess I'm comfortable with myself to wear an all white silk feeling jacket. A local skydiver used to make the jackets but no longer. A local tailor should be able to knock it out. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The last four Hawaiian shirts I bought were silk. But as for the canopy, have a windbreaker lined with fleece made. I have one made out of a C-9 with a radial seam running up the back. Of course I don't think I've been able to wear it since 1987. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I figured, but didn't want slyride to get associated with Jan. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Nope. Really good information embraced by USPA. No SLY here! Jen presented this at the last symposium. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE